


Like Catching a Lightning

by generalllymild



Category: BBC Radio 1 RPF, One Direction (Band)
Genre: Bantering, Crack, Fluff, M/M, Uni AU, a fun drinking game: drink a glass of water for every song title, arguing about aliens, midnight swims, or every time someone sings, their life is a musical, way too much High School Musical
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-26
Updated: 2015-05-26
Packaged: 2018-04-01 09:08:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4013965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/generalllymild/pseuds/generalllymild
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An uni-au where Louis and Nick totally hate each other and their life is a musical. Featuring aliens, drama classes, High School Musical, Uptown Funk and absolutely awful insults. </p><p>"Apparently Louis likes ruining Nick's sleep, which, to be honest isn't a surprise to Nick. Sound of a rock flying to his window glass echoes in the dark. "Nicholas! C'mon, sleepy arse, we're going for an Adventure!" And, okay, that's definitely Louis. What an Unnecessary-Movie-Sequel. Nick's smile drowns into the shadows."</p><p>or, twenty-two ways to get your crush.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like Catching a Lightning

**Author's Note:**

  * For [alwayswaiting26](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alwayswaiting26/gifts).



> Big thanks to my betas, who are angels and too good for this world. All of the grammar mistakes are mine!
> 
> This is full of HSM refences and singing, everything can be a musical if you try hard enough. Nicknames are from this post: rexuality.tumblr.com/post/108180321881/things-to-call-people-you-hate  
> ALSO a huge part of inspiration is from tumblr user shrimplouis, you should go follow them, they're the sweetest duckling on earth!! 
> 
> This is a mess, my first fic exchange, etc. etc. excuses for this sucking, thank you and bye! 
> 
> (my prompt was: "Uni!AU where one finds the others' flash drive in one of the library computers. possibly has something important and they were looking for it, even better if there is also something embarrassing for the other to tease them about. Prefer them not to be good friends at the beginning." Yeah, i know, i wrote a little off-topic, but i hope not too much??)

 

 

“You invited him? Niall, I swear to god.” Louis watches as Nick gets his coat off in the entrance of Louis’ and Liam’s flat. They’re about to have a fifa tournament, even managed to get Zayn and Harry to play.

“Lou, everyone knows you two are secretly married. Plus, we needed one more to play.”

“I think you’re messing up marriage and being enemies, Ni.”

“So are you, though.”

Before Louis has time to fight Niall, Nick emerges with Harry and slumps down on the couch. “So, what’s the team-up for today?”

“Me, Harry and Zayn against the rest of you; Niall, Liam and Nick, how ‘bout it?” Louis is ready to kick Nick’s arse. Niall’s and Liam’s, too. But mainly Nick’s.They nod along as the fifa’s opening video starts playing on the tv-screen.

“Lou, help me get the beer’s, yeah?” Zayn stands and waits for him.

“Bro, you’ll never guess what Ni said earlier. He was talking ‘bout me and Nick being married, can you believe?” Louis stands with his back to the living room, filling his hands with beer bottles.

“Yeah, we’ve talked about you and Nick. Particularly after that one night when the five of us were so piss drunk we agreed to watch Titanic when Harry suggested it. Ages ago, now. Anyway, you said you’d shag Nick, just before you just blacked out. Did you know you snore?” Zayn smirks at him. Louis’ friends are assholes. He doesn’t remember saying anything though, thank god.

“I don’t remember saying that, Z. Are you fucking with me?”

“I’m not surprised, you were pissed. Oh, hi Nick.”

When Louis looks behind him, he finds Nick there. Right, nice.

“Titanic, huh?” What is it with everyone and smirking. Louis wants to slap his past drunk-self.

 

*****

 

It looks like faith really loves him, if you ask Louis. You would think, with only a handful of mutual classes with Nick fucking Grimshaw, they wouldn’t get put together as a pair for the presentation that defines half of their grade. But they do. Fantastic. He can’t mess this up though, literature is one of his favourites, after all.

“Hey, Itchy sweater, here. Write.” Nick comes to sit next to him with his laptop open on a blank word document.“‘Cause I sure as hell ain’t letting you research.”

Louis has to agree. He smiles at Nick sweetly, and says “I wasn’t listening, but I strongly disagree.” Nick just pushes the laptop in front of him, looking amused.

He should learn not to give his laptop in the hands of other people, much less the hands of people who're famous for pranking. Louis is in the middle of a process of changing Nick's background pic from an artsy shot to something _fitter_ , still-empty document forgotten, but he figures he should check Nick's own pictures first.

Something Louis didn't expect to find in Nick's laptop was a pic folder named Lou. Less did he expect actual pics of himself. Close-ups of his eyes and shots of him laughing. He counts 102 in general. _Oh_. Nick did have a camera, now that he thought of it, and he did carry it around at all times. _Sneaky, Nicholas. Someone has a cruuu-uush._ Louis ignores the small voice in his head saying and he isn't the only one, just because. No one should listen to that voice, anyway. Louis doesn't _crush_.

He doesn’t notice that he’s grinning until Nick asks ‘ _what_ ’ in a suspicious voice. When Louis doesn’t answer, he looks at the screen past his shoulder. Louis swears he can feel him turning bright red. He jerks the laptop away from Louis.

“God, Louis. Fine, I’ll do it.”

Louis leaves the class with pictures of himself in his email, carrying a smirk and maybe he's blushing a little too, but it's cold, alright?

 

*****

 

Louis is a capricorn and therefore he’s always right. If you ask Louis, he’s right even when he isn’t. This is a well known fact and people like Nick, leo’s like Nick, should understand that they just can’t win an argument with someone who’s always right.

“If aliens aren’t real, why’ve scientist seen ufos?” Louis raises his eyebrows in challenge and puts his hands on his hips. He isn’t losing this battle.

“Louis, see, they haven’t-” Nick scowls at him.

“They really haven’t, Louis.” Even the teacher is against him, _rude_.

Louis thinks it’s time to use more dramatic methods. He huffs out a breath and steps up on his chair. At least he’s taller now. _These idiots wouldn’t believe I’m 5’9, ha. How about now?_ He puffs his chest.

“Am I the only, only believeeer” Louis’ life is a musical. He little drama-loving soul loves it. In the corner of his eye he sees Nick groan and bang his head on his desk. Louis’s has already won this fight and he grins in victory.

“There’s something happening here, I hope you feel what I’m feeling too.” Louis has taken it to the next level, which includes standing on the desk, _Nick’s_ desk, and dancing. The class is whistling and some are singing along. Only the teacher seems annoyed by the whole _my-life-is-a-musical_ -thing.

“I get down, I get down, I get down on my knees for ya-” Louis sees his life flash before his eyes as he slips and almost falls. Nick’s quick to grab his leg and awkward staring ensues. Nick coughs into his fist and takes his hand off Louis like he might burn a hole into it.

“Let’s have another toast to the boy almighty?” Nick says quietly, unsure, just to give Louis, or himself, something else to think about than thigh-touching featuring inappropriate lyrics.

“Let’s pray we stay young stay made of lightning” Louis smiles at him and for once it doesn’t sound like he’s mocking Nick.

“Okay, I think that’s enough, Louis, Nick--outside” the teacher breaks their moment and leads them out of the class. Nick doesn’t know if he’s relieved or disappointed. He hears the class whine their protests at the teacher. Everyone loves Louis.

As soon as the door closes, Louis slides onto the floor and puts his hands around his knees. “Aliens really aren’t real?” Louis pouts up at Nick and bows his head in defeat. His dreams are crushed.

“No, i guess they aren’t. But who knows, maybe they are.” Nick feels so out of place with this Louis, who isn’t insulting him and bouncing around all the time.

He doesn’t realize what’s he’s saying before it’s already out there, for Louis to make fun of. “Actually, I have this documentary about outer space and I’m pretty sure there’s stuff about aliens, too. You should see it sometime.” Nick eyes widen in shock when he hears his own words.

“Nicholas, what are you saying?” And there he is, the Louis Nick’s used to. The smug, evil Louis. Louis made himself look small and vulnerable, just to _crash_ Nick. Nick is even more sure that Louis is the evil.

 _Idiot_. Nick isn’t sure if he means Louis or himself.

“Are you asking me to watch it with you? Are you asking me on a da _a_ te?” Louis sings the last word and pats his eyelashes in a mocking manner.

“No, I -- no. Umm, we should probably go in and umm, ask about --uh, homework.” Nick has gone red and oh _my_ , Louis is never going to let him forget this.

“Right, sure. Homework.” Louis may’ve winked at him.

 

*****

 

Nick is exhausted.

Squinting his eyes, he reads the time on his lockscreen. Half five in the morning. Who the fuck would text him at this asscrack of a time-- of course. Nick knew giving his number to a certain Tomlinson was a mistake. Huge mistake. Even for a school project. Louis and school don't go well together, never has. Nick groans and opens the message.

It's a emoji. One, teeny emoji of poop. Smiling poop. _What the fuck._ He hates Louis Tomlinson. So much. He's not even a little bit fond, not even when his brain whispers _Louis just texted me_.

"I won't hesitate to strangle you tomorrow first thing in the morning!!" He texts back. Just because.

"not if i strangle u first :)!" Louis is a prick. Why is Nick texting with a prick in the middle of the night again?

"Can you even reach my neck"

All he gets after that is silence. He knows he should count it a win, but he can't ignore the feeling in the pit of his stomach, the feeling of being ignored. By Louis. Louis _kind-of-crushing-on-you-but-don’t-tell-anyone-’cause-you-hate-me_ Tomlinson.

Okay. He got this. It's half past three in the morning. He might as well just get up, he's not sleeping tonight anymore. What a _Sun-Glare-When-I’m-Driving-Just-Before-Sunset-And-I-Have-To-Put-My-Sun-Visor-Down-Because-I-Forgot-My-Sunglasses._ What a bastard.

If he tries to listen for a new text to arrive on his phone for the next hour-or-so, no one needs to know.

 

*****

 

The next morning Nick comes to school with dark circles under his eyes and his usual confident step a bit weary. He looks like he's on for the kill. Not just any kill, but for a Louis related kill. Louis almost gets on his feet and runs, but there isn't a time when he wouldn't be up for teasing Nick, especially after the photo folder accident. So he prepares to put on his best award winning smile, only to notice he doesn't need to try. Well then. Not that he's happy to see his worst enemy on Earth but...well. He kind of finds himself being exactly that.

"Louis! You Wet Sock, you kept me up all night- _not like that,_ shut up Harry- and now I look like a garbage bag!"

"So the normal, then?" Louis is full on smirking now, crinkled eyes and all. It's disgusting. For good measure, he glares at the giggling Harry sitting next to him. That traitor.

"Nice to see you as fresh and cheery as always, you Bowl-Of-Cold-Soup!" So, it may be becoming a habit. The nicknames. But that's what worst enemies do, right? Insult each other with absolutely horrible nicknames?

"Watch out, you Expired Coupon. You'll have yourself a payback when you're least expecting it!" Like, maybe he’ll send flowers to him. Or steal his food. Yeah, sounds like a good awful payback, Nick thinks.

 

*****

 

At least Louis and Nick aren't paired up in drama class. Louis likes Jack better anyway. Totally, so much better. If Louis catches Nick staring aggressively at his back when he thinks Louis can't see... _well_. “You should make him jealous, you know” Harry had said to him the night before. Then Louis had scoffed, “I don’t fancy him, alright”, but maybe he should. Maybe he definitely will.

"Alright, class, today we're going to reenact music videos. And no, you can’t choose whatever you want, it’ll have to be from a movie I think we all know, High School Musical."

Groaning is heard from all around the room, but this perfectly suits Louis', or Harry’s really, plan called Make Nick Jealous, as there’s many romantic songs in those movies. About 13 per movie, to be exact. What, Louis has sisters!

Fifteen minutes into the class Louis and Jack are practising their song, High School Musical 3: Can I Have This Dance. Jack probably agreed because he thinks it'll be a laugh, --I mean seriously, ballroom dancing?--and Louis doesn't disagree. And the fact that they'll be touching quite a lot should serve his plan well enough. So Louis jumps on a chair and belts out the first line of the song.

“Take my hand, take a breath” Louis smirks as he catches Nick's eye while Jack pulls him closer by his hand.

As they perform their reenactment to the students, he finds himself sneaking looks at Nick. Louis catches Nick’s eye when he sings the chorus as a duet with Jack;

“It's like catching lightning the chances of finding someone like you, It's one in a million, the chances of feeling the way we do”. And he feels like he’s the one getting hurt, burning inside out. Jack catches him from a close-call of stepping off a chair after one too many glances at the back of the class. _Get it together, Tommo. Subtle, casual._

His genius plan of getting Nick jealous worked pretty well, anyhow, Louis thinks when they bow at the end of the song. At least if the stern look on Nick’s face, fists squeezed together by his side, is anything to go by.

To add a tiny bit more effect to the plan, he tweets; _“@louis_tomlinson: @grimmers < @RestingPlatypus”._ So that everyone knows who's his least favourite.

Ironically, Nick's and his partner's song is _I Don't Dance_. It feels like a response to Louis' performance. He hates Nick.

 

*****

 

Maybe Nick's uni-radio friends playing Uptown Funk at least five times a day is kind of worth it after all. 'Cause Louis can't not be a stupid idiot and sing along, all high-pitched, to every awful pop trash.

They're laying about in the lounge when Aimee announces next song. Nick rolls his eyes when Louis eyes spark up when he regonizes the title. He's sure everyone in the room can see Louis planning out his evil plan, and then it's too late, because he's hopping up on the table and bringing his marker in front of his mouth as a mic. Nick wants to put his head into his hands and groan, maybe for two years, 'cause it's terrible adorable. Could Louis just let him _rest._

_"I’m too hot (hot damn)_

_Called a police and a fireman_

_I’m too hot (hot damn)_

_Make a dragon wanna retire man”_

 

He's jumping around the room, wiggling his hips to the beat and one moment you see him sitting on Harry's lap and the other he's taking one of the girl's hand and pirueting her around. All this while giggling and singing loud and high. Nick is pretty sure he never gave his mouth the permission to smile.

" _Don’t believe me just watch!_ "

And then Nick's got an armful of Louis. He's smirking up to him, legs over Nick’s arms, laughing, probably 'cause Nick's face must be a sight. His eyes are as wide as ever and he feels like he's going choke on thin air. He feels his cheeks heat up and he just kind of.

Throws Louis out of his arms and onto the floor.

Louis squeaks as he lands flat on the floor. Nick might actually be choking now.

"Nice one, bro." He feels a hand on his shoulder. Harry’s laughing, wiping tears from the corners of his eyes. Embarrassing Nick must be their favourite sport. He hates his friends.

_"Before we leave_

_Imma tell y’all a lil’ something_

_Uptown Funk you up,_

_Uptown Funk you up"_

Before Nick knows it, Louis up and on about it again. He's dancing all over the place and people are clapping. Nick catches his hands before they get to join it.

_"Come on, dance_

_Jump on it_

_If you sexy than flaunt it_

_If you freaky than own it"_

There's a tiny hand gripping his, out of nowhere. Nick's breath catches in his throat; he would know Louis' hands anywhere. Louis' smirking, his face little sweaty from all the dancing, pulling him up from the couch. He's standing, staring disbelieving his blue eyes, before he gets to thinking. From far away, he hears Niall and Liam whistle. _Oh god_.

_"Don’t brag about it,_

_come show me_

_Come on, dance_ "

"Louis, wait, i can't- i can't dance, -- _I Don't Dance_ , haha get it, you Can't Have This Dance-- _Lou_ , there’s people watching"

The bell rings and everyone groans, except for Nick. He's safe, his ego isn't completely ruined, yet. Then again, Louis isn't touching him anymore, that's a loss. He still feels the ghost if his weight on his arms.

" _Aw,_ what a shame, Nicholas. I guess we have to arrange this to later." Louis gets his bag and starts to walk to his next class. Nick feels like running after him. That's not good.

"Yeah. Yep. Yea. Absolutely." Nick isn't listening anymore, his mind trying to remember his touch on his arms, wrists. Harry's going to give him so much shit for this later, he can already imagine his smug-as-fuck grin.

 

*****

 

“Lewi _is_ , I’m hungry _y_ ” Louis has one leg halfway into their his and Harry’s uni flat and he can already smell trouble. Or it might be just alcohol.

By the time he gets into the living room, Harry has succeed to get into a half-sitting position on the floor. He looks awfully happy to see him, but mostly drunk. Louis rolls his eyes.

“Hi Haz, had fun?” Before Louis finishes the sentence, he hears Harry snore and sees his eyelids closed. _‘Too fun, I guess’_ , he thinks to himself as he lifts Harry’s head enough to get a pillow under it. He would try to get him on the sofa right next to him, but, not that Louis’d be small, it’s just that Harry is a giant.

Everything would’ve gone smoothly, after that, but Louis can’t get the tv to work. He has a blanket over him and a mug of tea in his hand and the tv doesn’t work. He wouldn’t mind about that too much either, it’s just that tonight’s the day of CBB’s season final. Tomorrow the winner would be all over the news and he can’t stand spoilers.

So Louis collects the bits and pieces of his tired brain and wonders through the door into the hall. He wishes someone has a working tv in this house.

Instead he finds a passed-out Nick on one of the common room’s sofas. He almost turns around and gives up on his CBB final, but he notices something about Nick’s room’s door. It has keys in the lock. Louis knows he shouldn’t, but it’s _Nick_. He’s used to people stealing his room by now, right? And Louis isn’t going to break anything. Probably. Accidents happen, though.

 

*****

 

Louis might’ve been even more tired than he thought last night. The morning, and Nick, find Louis drooling on Nick’s sofa and mumbling about aliens. The tv’s playing a commercial channel and there’s a cold mug of tea on the table. Nick’s more than a bit confused.

After ten minutes of Nick staring at sleeping Louis like he might grow horns and a tail any minute and attack, he goes to get Harry to claim his roommate back. Before that, Nick takes a marker and uncaps it. Louis isn’t the only one who can be evil.

An hour later Louis wakes up in his own bed with “Morning, Billy :) Thanks for drooling on my couch, arsehole. I’m sending the bill for that later!” on a note taped on his forehead and penises drawn all over his arms and neck. Louis almost gets mad at Nick for stealing his trademark.

 

*****

 

The floor is swaying, back and forth, and there’s heat of people packed around them. Louis swears he feels the beat of the music hammering patterns into his ribcage. He doesn’t mind much, though. He feels alive.

He doesn’t even notice when the beat changes, slowing down. But there’s Nick’s hands on his waist and mouth on his ear. Louis realizes he’s singing along.

“ _But believe me_

_I'm not trying to deceive you_

_I promise falling for me_

_Won't be a mistake_ ”

 

Louis’ giggle dies on his lips. _Falling is always a mistake, Nick_.

 

_“You're the truth I can't explain_

_You're the only one I see_

_It’s not an illusion to me”_

 

Louis needs Nick just to shut up already. He can’t stand there listening to him sing meaningless words, when it’s only a matter of time, when they’re going to break. When Louis is going to break. Nick is going to break him. If he lets himself fall-- but he _won’t_. So he turns around and kisses him.

 

_We should just kiss like real people do._

 

*****

 

Louis wakes up with a headache and an incoming call. It’s Nick. Louis presses red and burrows his head under the duvets.

 

*****

 

_“Nick. Yesterday...it was a mistake, okay?”_

_“We need to talk.”_

_“It won’t happen again.”_

_“I was drunk, i didn’t think clearly.”_

_“I’m sorry, Nick.”_

Louis is pacing. He needs to leave for school in fifteen minutes and he’s going to cry. The truth is, it wasn’t a mistake. He wants it to happen again. He did think clearly. He isn’t sorry. And that’s the problem. Louis doesn’t do emotions. Most of all, he doesn’t do relationships. He _can’t._

 

*****

 

Harry skips next to him before he has the time to hide into the crowd of students.

"Look, Lou, I made this playlist of songs that I think fits you and Nick. Wanna listen?"

Louis wants to tell Harry, _I kissed him and now I have to let him down when I'm the one who gets let down, really,_ but mainly he just wants to cry into his shoulder. He kind of knows Nick has probably told Harry about the kiss already, anyway.

_"Or maybe all his friends have told him_

_don't get closer He'll just break your heart"_

His friends don't need to tell him anything. He knows, knows when he wouldn't want to, how it goes. He isn't into the idea of broken hearts and drowning your aches into alcohol, or maybe in someone else's skin. He doesn't need that. He takes the tape with a quiet _‘thanks’._

 

*****

 

Louis falls asleep to the soft lyrics pouring out of his old record player. Louis falls asleep to the memories of smiles and laughs, and cherry kisses.

He dreams of tall boys and stupid hipster clothes and awful hairstyles and. He hates it. 'Cause he doesn't miss Nick, he doesn't.

Louis falls asleep to people whispering about how worth it it is and he believes them. Yeah, maybe he'll get his heart broken, but wouldn't it be worth it? Wouldn't Nick be worth it? Louis is known as the risk taker, it's about the time he starts living up to it. So yes, maybe he does miss Nick.

He hopes Nick misses him too.

 

*****

 

Apparently Louis likes ruining Nick's sleep, which, to be honest isn't a surprise to Nick. Sound of a rock flying to his window glass echoes in the dark.

"Nicholas! C'mon, sleepy arse, we're going for an Adventure!" And, okay, that's definitely Louis. What an Unnecessary-Movie-Sequel. Nick‘s smile drowns into the shadows.

"It's Nick, not Nicholas. And i'm sleeping." Or, was sleeping, whatever. His legs move to get up before his brain catches up.

After climbing down the window, Nick feels like going home already. But there's Louis, with his eyes laughing at him and he kind of never wants to let him go.

"Louis. It's cold. And dark."

"What, are you scared? Besides, it's spring!"

"You Easy-Bake-Oven, Louis, it's literally february. Look." Nick kicks a pile of snow on the sidelines of the pavement. It shatters onto the ground.

"Don't be boring, this is an Adventure. With a capital A."

Nick didn't have a clue where they are going, but he feels like he could follow Louis to the pits of Hell and back. Probably not a good idea.

They walk side to side, hands brushing, up, ‘till Nick feels like they reached the stars. "This" Louis gestures to the sky, stars shining to them, "Is where broken hearts go."

Louis looks up at him and asks, "You up for a swim?"

 

*****

 

"You're absolutely mental" Nick tries his hardest to keep a straight face, but a giggle escapes every few steps. They're both wet and freezing their balls off. They're half running to Nick's house, their hands swinging between them.

“I knew you were trouble.” Louis looks at him and in a second they’re both singing Taylor Swift and skipping around, in the middle of a street. They stop when they’re laughing too hard to remember the rest of the words.

"You adore me." Louis kisses his cheek with blue lips, standing on his tippy toes. Nick almost teases him about it.

"Yeah. I do."

"Me too, you, I mean." Louis feels warm even when his toes feel like falling off his body.

"I really do, Nicholas."

*****


End file.
